Scriptnotes PodcastTue, 28 Jul 2015 15:00:00 +0000Sun, 02 Aug 2015 22:24:45 +0000Libsyn WebEngine 2.0http://johnaugust.com/scriptnotes
enhttp://johnaugust.com/scriptnotesask@johnaugust.com (ask@johnaugust.com)http://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/1/3/e/3/13e333701a5fee02/scriptnotes-1400.jpgScriptnotes PodcastJohn August and Craig Mazinaugust,craig,john,mazin,screenplay,screenwriter,screenwriting,writingnodigital@johnaugust.com208 - How descriptive audio worksTue, 28 Jul 2015 15:00:00 +0000John and Craig take a deep look at how descriptive audio for the blind works, with clips from Daredevil and an interview with a woman who does it for a living. It’s a fascinating form of writing, with many of the same challenges screenwriters face.

Also this week: Capitals, capitalization, the WGA financial numbers, and answers to a bunch of listener questions.

If you have a Scriptnotes t-shirt design, the deadline is August 11th. Click the link below for details.

]]>01:09:27yesaudio,style,capital,descriptive,capitalization207 - Why movies have reshootsTue, 21 Jul 2015 15:00:00 +0000Reshoots used to be a sign that something had gone horribly wrong. But not anymore. John and Craig look at the reasons why Hollywood movies often go back for additional photography, and how the writer is involved.

Also this week, arbitration esoterica about the “final shooting script,” descriptive text for the blind, and news about the Austin Film Festival. (We’re going.)

It’s been almost a year since the last round of Scriptnotes t-shirts. So let’s print some more. We likely have amazing artists among our listeners, so if you have a design for a shirt you want to see, follow the link below for details. (The deadline for submissions is August 11th.)

]]>01:02:05nodesign,up,broadway,credit,contest,festival,shirt,austin,aff,reshoots206 - Everything but the dialogueTue, 14 Jul 2015 15:00:00 +0000John and Craig take a deep dive into scene description, looking at how seven produced screenplays arranged the words on the page. With samples from Aliens, Erin Brockovich, Oceans 11, Unforgiven, Wall-E, Wanted and Whip It, we tackle verbs and metaphors, ellipses and underlining.

You can look at the show notes to see the exact scenes we’re discussing.

Also this week, Paramount has cut a deal with two exhibitors to greatly shorten the window between theatrical and home video on two upcoming releases. We look at why, and what this experiment means for writers in the near and long-term.

]]>52:44nonews,it,scene,action,aliens,paramount,wanted,walle,description,distribution,whip,amc,unforgiven205 - The One with Alec BergTue, 07 Jul 2015 15:00:00 +0000Craig sits down with Silicon Valley writer/director Alec Berg to talk about set ups and payoffs, editing comedy and how writing teams get screwed.

Also this week: Tess Gerritsen gives up, but that’s not the end of you-stole-my-idea lawsuits.

The 200-episode USB drives are in the store, but for how long? If you want one, don’t wait.

]]>01:10:06noediting,television,tv,teams,harvard,valley,team,gravity,berg,silicon,alec,seinfeld,lampoon,tess204 - No one makes those movies anymoreTue, 30 Jun 2015 15:00:00 +0000Craig and John look at why certain genres of movies — mid-budget thrillers, adult dramas and romantic comedies — aren’t getting made, and whether there’s any way to get them back.

We also look at Apple Music, and what streaming means for screenwriters. Finally, we chart the screenwriter’s job from pitch to premiere, and how few of those steps are actually paid.

Big news: we have brand-new USB drives with the entire Scriptnotes catalog available at store.johnaugust.com. Quantities are limited, so don’t delay.

]]>01:01:33nomovies,streaming,indie,hollywood,fifa,job,many,too,steps,credits,stx203 - Nobody Eats Four MarshmallowsTue, 23 Jun 2015 15:00:00 +0000John and Craig take an in-depth look at turnaround and reversion, and how screenwriters get their scripts back from a studio.

We also look at the latest developments in the Gravity saga, and answer a bunch of leftover questions from the live 200th episode.

]]>01:08:53noproduction,high,studio,fast,agent,gravity,concept,lawsuit,200th,tess,turnaround,reversion202 - Everyman vs. SupermanTue, 16 Jun 2015 15:00:00 +0000From Wolverine to The Rock, male action heroes have literally gotten bigger over the last decade. Craig and John look at how that impacts story. Is there hope for the the ordinary man in an extraordinary situation? Will we ever get back to Kurt and Keanu?

Then it’s time for three new Three Page Challenges, with entries ranging from campus riots to suburban detectives.

]]>01:17:04yesopen,three,superhero,secret,an,challenge,page,sag,aftra,everyman,3pc201 - How would this be a movie?Tue, 09 Jun 2015 15:00:00 +0000John and Craig look at three current news stories from a screenwriter’s perspective, discussing how each lends itself to becoming a movie.

Would FIFA’s Stepp Blatter make a better Coen Brothers hero or a Sorkin villain? Could the Large Hadron Collider lend itself to a romantic comedy? Is there even a movie to make about campus sexual politics and academic freedom?

]]>01:06:27nolove,news,you,advice,do,fifa,current,what,large,title,9,hadron,collider,xi,hardon,hadrion200 - The 200th Episode Live ShowTue, 02 Jun 2015 15:00:00 +0000Craig, John, and Aline record the 200th episode of Scriptnotes live with a worldwide audience listening in — and chiming in — as they discuss TV showrunning and whether quality really counts at the box office.

Then it’s time for listener questions, ranging from presidential plagiarism to locked drafts.

Hard to believe it’s been 200 episodes. We wouldn’t and couldn’t have done it without you. Thanks to all our listeners, both for the live feed and all the weeks that came before.

]]>01:12:34nosuper,live,tv,broadcast,director,dress,exgirlfriend,200,difference,mckenna,showrunner,aline,brosh199 - Second Draft DoldrumsTue, 26 May 2015 15:00:00 +0000Craig and John discuss finding your way back to your story – and your enthusiasm – when writing your second draft. Craig has tips and suggestions. John has sympathy and war stories.

This week, we also discuss ageism and authenticity in Hollywood, the Mr. Holmes lawsuit, and unsung screenwriter heroes.

The 200th episode will be streaming live on the internet! Follow us on Twitter to get details about when we’ll be recording, and where to find us.

]]>58:28nomark,second,lost,robert,kamen,draft,rebel,ageism,poppy,tall,revisions198 - Back to 100Tue, 19 May 2015 15:00:00 +0000This week, we time-travel back to our first centennial, a live show in Hollywood with special guests Aline Brosh McKenna and Rawson Thurber. We discuss the rise of the “writer-plus,” the importance of early mentors, and the emails that outline the very origin of Scriptnotes.

Through the past 100 episodes, a lot has changed, so John provides updates on some topics, including how the Golden Ticket winner presaged the later full script challenge. So even if you listened to this episode 97 weeks ago, you’ll find something new.

]]>01:00:26nothe,save,cat,blake,snyder,marshall,plus,rawson,thurber,slate,article,mckenna,stc,millers,aline,brosh197 - How do bad movies get made?Tue, 12 May 2015 15:00:00 +0000Craig and John tackle a single topic: bad movies and how they happen. Having experienced the process first-hand, they report on how bad ideas make it to the screen, and how good ideas go wrong. There’s no single answer, but a range of patterns that end in terrible movies.

In follow-up, we talk about still-forming plans for the 200th episode, new USB drives, and favorite episodes.

John’s game One Hit Kill launches on Kickstarter this week. Check it out.

And if you work for Bethesda, Craig really wants you to make Fallout 4.

]]>01:00:52nohit,movies,one,development,risk,kill,bad,made,ohk196 - The long and short of itTue, 05 May 2015 15:00:00 +0000John and Craig dig into the listener mailbag and take questions on TV producer credits, jealousy over other writers’ success, writing tight vs writing long and plenty of other follow up.

It’s a jam packed episode worthy of a long commute.

We also have information on the card game we playtested in LA a few weeks back. It’s called One Hit Kill, and you can see some of the artwork and play our mini-game at onehitkillgame.com now.

]]>01:13:54noediting,tv,producer,words,jealousy,jealous,dress,reel,credits,luck,criticism,sizzle,simultaneously,economically,flashbang,sizzlereal195 - Writing for Hollywood without living thereTue, 28 Apr 2015 15:00:00 +0000Canadian screenwriter Ryan Knighton joins John and Craig to discuss how you sustain a career writing for Hollywood studios while living a flight away. Knighton’s first screenplay was the adaptation of his memoir about going blind. He’s since written for several studios, including a new project for Ridley Scott.

We also talk about general meetings, pitching, adapting true stories, and the Sundance screenwriting lab.

An anonymous screenwriter promises to tell you the secrets of Hollywood, including the unspoken dress code. A London-based film production company wants to buy your script — but they want you to pay for some notes first.

But it’s not all bad news. The WGA East has organized the writers at Gawker, so we talk about why and whether it’s a good idea. We also look at GLAAD’s latest report on LGBT representative in feature films.

]]>01:15:21nogay,writer,x,union,code,lgbt,group,dubai,report,dress,scam,credits,glaad,gawker,gladd,dresscode,unionizing,wgae,ifilm193 - How writing credits workTue, 14 Apr 2015 15:00:00 +0000Craig and John do a deep-dive into the world of screenwriting credits, explaining the entire process from the Notice of Tentative Writing Credits, to arbitration to review boards. The system can be confusing, but most produced screenwriters will find themselves facing it at some point, so it’s important to understand how it works.

]]>01:18:43noworld,credit,process,wga,jurassic,arbitration,credits192 - You can't train a cobra to do thatTue, 07 Apr 2015 15:00:00 +0000Craig and John discuss backup plans, camera directions, and becoming so good they can’t ignore you. Plus we answer two listener questions about specificity in scene headers and how to indicate that a script is intended for animation.

This episode was actually recorded before 191, but through the magic of editing refers to things that hadn’t yet happened. You won’t be confused because you’re clever. You’ll be fine.

]]>01:00:03nonews,up,direct,writer,max,back,working,next,emergency,dolly,backup,wep,zoom,pan,tilt,caa,uta191 - The Deal with Scripped.comSat, 04 Apr 2015 17:03:21 +0000Craig and John talk with the owner of Scripped.com to investigate what happened when the online screenwriting site suddenly went down this week, erasing four years of screenwriters’ work. When things went south, why did he try to distance himself from the debacle, and what comes next? It’s a candid discussion — but far less uncomfortable than the Final Draft episode.

We’re also joined by the creator/owner of WriterDuet to discuss his role in all of this, and the precautions one takes when using online software.

Huge thanks to our guests and to Matthew and Stuart for their quick turnaround on this episode. We’ll also have a normal episode this Tuesday.

]]>57:57nointerview,writer,crash,rhodes,duet,scripped,screencraft,writerduet190 - This Is WorkingTue, 31 Mar 2015 15:00:00 +0000For the first time ever, John and Craig spend an entire episode on a full-length original screenplay, K.C. Scott’s THIS IS WORKING.

Black List founder Franklin Leonard joins us as we dig into this former Three Page Challenge entry, examining character, story and thematic issues. We get very specific about what’s working in the script now — but also what the movie may want to become. Plus we talk about the road ahead for this writer, and the choices he’s going to be facing.

Listeners are going to get a lot out of this episode — and even moreso if they read the script beforehand. So download the script and give it a read first if you have a chance. (Link below.)

This is a very different episode for us, so let us know what you think on Twitter and Facebook.

]]>01:27:56nofranklin,three,notes,is,this,script,scott,c,full,working,leonard,k,challenge,page,characters,plot,kc189 - Uncluttered by IgnoranceTue, 24 Mar 2015 15:00:00 +0000John and Craig dig into the overstuffed mail bag to answer listener questions about scenes, stagnation, subtitles and script breakdowns. Plus we reveal the consensus opinions on whether we should have ads, and look at possibilities for the Full Script Challenge.

We also have a lengthy digression into probability and the proper way to pronounce Los Feliz.